23 Feb 🤱Did you finally get to bring your premmie baby home after spending months in the NICU? 😬Have you been told that the complications of prematurity, can impact your baby’s growth and development?

Prematurity, defined as being born before 37 weeks of gestation, can have significant impacts on a baby’s growth and development. These impacts can vary widely among premature babies, depending on how early they were born and their health complications. Here are some key areas affected:

1.Physical Growth
Premature babies often have lower birth weights and may grow at a slower rate than full-term babies in their first years of life. However, many catch up in height and weight by the age of 2 to 3 years, though some may remain smaller throughout their life.

2. Motor and Speech Development
Premature babies may experience delays in their motor development, including rolling over, sitting, crawling, and walking. They might take longer to start speaking and may have difficulties with language comprehension and expression.

3. Cognitive, Social and Emotional Development
Cognitive impairments are more common in premature babies, especially in those born very early. They may face challenges with memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. They may have difficulty with self-regulation, which is the ability to manage emotions and behaviour in accordance with the demands of the situation.

4. General Health Issues
Premature babies are at a higher risk for health problems, including respiratory issues, digestive problems, infections, vision and hearing problems. They are also at a higher risk of developing chronic health issues such as asthma and may have more hospital visits during childhood.

Early intervention services are crucial for premature babies to help them overcome the challenges that result from prematurity. Early Intervention Paediatric Physiotherapy starts from NICU and should be continued after discharge.

If you have a premmie baby, reach out to My Favourite Physio on (02 )9790 4233 to speak to one of our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists today!

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